JP2001351465A - Switch structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a stable switch operation by preventing production of an allophone like a whistle. SOLUTION: Air distribution slots 30 where air are made to flow according to an elastic deformation of each swelling part 12, are made on an undersurface of a rubber sheet 10 which has the swelling parts 12 of a shape like a dome in which the elastic deformation is possible, in four directions toward outside from the swelling part 12. Therefore, even if cross-sectional areas of the air distribution slots 30 in one direction become narrow with foreign matters such as a poor attachment of the rubber sheet 10, or a burr of the rubber sheet 10 or a switch substrate, air can be smoothly circulated through a 1st and a second air distribution slots 31 and 32 of other three directions. By this, while being possible to prevent production of the allophone like a whistle of the conventional example, the elastic deformation of each swelling part 12 can be carried out smoothly, and the switch operation can be stabilized.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a switch structure used for an electronic device such as an electronic keyboard instrument.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an electronic keyboard musical instrument such as an electronic piano, a plurality of keys arranged in parallel on a keyboard chassis in an instrument case are depressed to operate a switch member provided on the keyboard chassis. It is configured to generate a musical sound when turned on. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example. This electronic keyboard instrument includes a keyboard chassis 1 formed integrally with an instrument case, a plurality of keys 2 mounted on the keyboard chassis 1 so as to be vertically rotatable and arranged in parallel, and a keyboard chassis 1. And a switch member 3 provided and pressed by a plurality of keys 2.

The plurality of keys 2 are composed of a white key and a black key, each of which has a thin elastic deformation portion 4 at its rear portion (right end in FIG. 9). The keyboard chassis 1 is connected to a common connecting portion 5 that is continuous in the key arrangement direction in a state where the connecting portion 5 is arranged in parallel for each of the white key and the black key, and the connecting portions 5 are overlapped for each of the white key and the black key. Are mounted on the key mounting portion 6 by screws 7 so as to rotate vertically about the respective elastically deforming portions 4. In this case, each key 2 is formed with a pressing portion 8 for pressing the switch member 3 in accordance with a key pressing operation, in a state protruding below the key 2.

The switch member 3 includes a rubber sheet 10 and a switch board 11, and is arranged on the lower surface of the keyboard chassis 1 at an intermediate portion. The rubber sheet 10 is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 9, a dome-shaped bulging portion 12 which can be elastically deformed at a position corresponding to the pressing portion 8 of each key 2 as shown in FIG. These bulging portions 12 are inserted from below into each through hole 13 provided in the keyboard chassis 1, and each upper end portion is configured to elastically contact the lower surface of the pressing portion 8 of each key 2. ing.
In addition, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 9, the switch substrate 11 slides one end (the left end 11a in FIG. 9) along the lower surface of the rubber sheet 10 in a state where the switch substrate 11 is tilted downward and to the right. After being inserted into the locking portion 14 of the keyboard chassis 1 and locked, the other end (right end 11 in FIG.
b) is attached to the boss 1a of the keyboard chassis 1 with screws 15, whereby the rubber sheet 10 is sandwiched between the lower surface of the keyboard chassis 1 while the upper surface of the switch board 11 is in close contact with the lower surface of the rubber sheet 10. .

In this case, each bulging portion 12 of the rubber sheet 10 is
9 and 10, a movable contact 16 is provided, and on the upper surface of the switch substrate 11,
A pair of fixed contacts 17 are provided corresponding to each movable contact 16. Thereby, when the bulging portion 12 of the rubber sheet 10 is pressed by the pressing portion 8 of the key 2, the bulging portion 12 is elastically deformed, and the movable contact 1 inside the bulging portion 12 is pressed.
6 contacts a pair of fixed contacts 17 of the switch board 11,
This outputs a switch signal. The switch member 3 is configured such that when the key is released, the bulging portion 12 pushes up the pressing portion 8 of the key 2 by its elastic return force, and separates the movable contact 16 from the pair of fixed contacts 17. The switch member 3 has a length corresponding to, for example, the key 2 corresponding to one octave.

The plurality of keys 2 are urged upward by the respective elastic forces of the bulging portions 12 of the rubber sheet 10 and the elastically deforming portions 4 of the keys 2, and the front side of each key 2 (in FIG. Left side)
The L-shaped stopper piece 18 provided on the keyboard chassis 1
The key 2 is restricted to a predetermined upper limit position (initial position) by contacting with an upper limit stopper 20 such as felt provided on the lower surface of the keyboard chassis 1 through the fool hole 19. When the key 2 is depressed, the key 2
Reference numeral 8 abuts on a lower limit stopper 21 such as felt provided on a lower portion of the keyboard chassis 1, thereby restricting the key 2 to a predetermined lower limit position. Further, the key 2 has its white key guide 22 and black key guide 23 provided on the keyboard chassis 1 restricting the key 2 from swaying.

[0007]

In the switch member 3 of such an electronic keyboard instrument, when the bulging portion 12 of the rubber sheet 10 is elastically deformed by the pressing portion 8 of the key 2, the bulging portion 12 is pressed. Since the air inside leaks to the outside from between the rubber sheet 10 and the switch substrate 11 and becomes a vacuum state, the elastic return of the bulging portion 12 is delayed, and the switch operation becomes unstable. To prevent this, each bulge 12
Air circulating holes through which air circulates are provided in the switch board 11 at the corresponding locations, and when each bulging portion 12 is elastically deformed,
There is a structure in which each bulging portion 12 is smoothly elastically deformed to stabilize a switch operation by circulating air through an air circulating hole. There is a problem that dust may easily enter the protrusion 12 and cause poor conduction.

Therefore, conventionally, as shown in FIG.
On the lower surface of the rubber sheet opposite to the upper surface of the switch substrate 13, air flow grooves 25 through which air flows are provided along the direction in which the bulging portions 12 are arranged. A configuration has been developed in which air is circulated through the inside of the inside 25. However, in such a switch structure, if the cross-sectional area of the air circulation groove 15 is reduced due to a defective mounting of the rubber sheet 10 or a foreign substance such as a burr of the rubber sheet 10 or the switch substrate 11, air does not flow smoothly. In addition, not only the bulging portions 12 are not smoothly elastically deformed and the switch operation becomes unstable, but also noise such as a whistle is generated when air flows through a narrow portion of the air flow groove 15. There's a problem.

An object of the present invention is to prevent generation of abnormal noise such as a whistle and to obtain a stable switch operation.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a switch structure comprising a sheet member having a dome-shaped bulging portion which can be elastically deformed, and a switch substrate on which the lower surface of the sheet member is closely arranged. An air circulation groove through which air flows according to the elastic deformation of the bulging portion is provided on at least three directions on the lower surface of the sheet member outward from the bulging portion. . According to the present invention, the air flow grooves are provided on the lower surface of the sheet member in at least three directions from the bulging portion to the outside. Even if the cross-sectional area of the air flow groove in one direction becomes narrow, air can be circulated through the air flow groove in the other direction, so that it is possible to prevent noise such as whistle from being generated. In addition, the swelling portion can be smoothly elastically deformed to stabilize the switch operation.

In this case, as described in claim 2, the air flow groove is provided in the seat in a direction orthogonal to a direction in which the switch board slides along the lower surface of the sheet member when the switch board is mounted. When the switch board is slid along the lower surface of the sheet member and assembled, the both ends in the direction perpendicular to the sliding direction of the switch board are formed at both ends of the sheet member. Can be prevented from being caught, thereby preventing the displacement of the sheet member,
Poor mounting of the seat member can be reduced. Also,
As described in claim 3, the air flow groove is formed in a direction intersecting a direction in which the switch board slides along the lower surface of the sheet member when the switch board is mounted. When the board is slid along the lower surface of the sheet member and assembled, the switch board can be prevented from being caught in the airflow groove, thereby preventing the sheet member from being displaced.
The seat member can be assembled in a stable state.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS First Embodiment A first embodiment of a switch structure according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. The same parts as those in the conventional example shown in FIGS. This switch structure is different from the conventional example in the air circulation groove 30 of the rubber sheet 10, and is otherwise substantially the same as the conventional example. As shown in FIG. 3, the air circulation groove 30 includes a first air circulation groove 31 in a direction parallel to the arrangement direction of the dome-shaped bulging portions 12, that is, the upper and lower sides along the longitudinal direction of the rubber sheet 10. , A second direction perpendicular to the first air flow groove 31.
The first and second air flow grooves 31, 32 are provided on the lower surface of the rubber sheet 10 in four directions, up, down, left, and right, from the bulging portions 12 to the outside.

That is, the first air flow grooves 31 are located on both left and right sides of each bulging portion 12 and are formed continuously in the longitudinal direction of the rubber sheet 10 via each bulging portion 12. In this case, the first air flow grooves 31 located at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the rubber sheet 10 are provided so as to reach each end of the rubber sheet 10 from each bulging portion 12 at each end. The second air circulation grooves 32 are formed on the upper and lower sides of each bulging portion 12, and are formed so as to reach the respective upper and lower sides along the longitudinal direction of the rubber sheet 10 from each bulging portion 12. I have. When assembling the switch board 11 at a predetermined location on the upper surface of the rubber sheet 10,
An end (the lower side in FIG. 1) of the switch board 11 shown in FIG. 1 which is located on the opposite side to the sliding direction S is fitted into a positioning hole (not shown) provided in the keyboard chassis 1. A positioning projection 33 for positioning the rubber sheet 10 is provided.

In such a switch structure, as shown in FIG. 9, each of the elastically deformable dome-shaped bulging portions 12 of the rubber sheet 10 is inserted into each through hole 13 of the keyboard chassis 1 from below. When the rubber sheet 10 is arranged on the lower surface of the keyboard chassis 1, the positioning protrusions 33 of the rubber sheet 10 are fitted into the keyboard chassis 1 by positioning holes.
The rubber sheet 10 can be positioned on the lower surface of the keyboard chassis 1. In this state, when the left end 11a of the switch board 11 is slid along the lower surface of the rubber sheet 10 to be inserted into the locking portion 14 of the keyboard chassis 1 and locked,
Since the rubber sheet 10 is positioned on the keyboard chassis 1, the rubber sheet 10 is not displaced, so that the rubber sheet 10 can be stably mounted on the keyboard chassis 1.

Further, in this switch structure, the air circulation groove 30 provided on the lower surface of the rubber sheet 10 has the first air circulation groove 31 in a direction parallel to the upper and lower sides in the longitudinal direction of the rubber sheet 10. The first and second air circulation grooves 31 and 32 are provided in four directions from the bulging portions 12 to the outside, respectively. Therefore, even if the cross-sectional area of the air flow groove 30 in one direction is reduced due to a defective mounting of the rubber sheet 10 or a foreign substance such as a burr of the rubber sheet 10 or the switch board 11, the first direction in the other three directions is not affected. The air can be smoothly circulated through the second air circulation grooves 31 and 32, thereby preventing generation of abnormal noise like a whistle of the related art, and smoothing each bulging portion 12. Can be elastically deformed Runode, the switch operation can be stabilized.

In the first embodiment, the two bulging portions 12 located at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the rubber sheet 10 are provided.
Also, the first and second air flow grooves 31 and 32 are provided in four directions, but are not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. The protruding portion 12 has both ends 10 in the longitudinal direction of the rubber sheet 10.
Except for a and 10b, the first and second air flow grooves 31 and 32
May be provided in three directions. That is, the bulging portion 1 located on the left end 10a side of the rubber sheet 10 in FIG.
Except for a left end portion 10 a of the rubber sheet 10, first and second air flow grooves 31 and 32 are provided in three directions in two directions. The bulging portion 12 located at the right end 10b of the rubber sheet 10 is provided with first and second air circulation grooves 31 and 32 in three directions except for the right end 10b of the rubber sheet 10.

With such a switch structure, the same operation and effect as those of the first embodiment can be obtained.
When the rubber sheet 10 is slid along the lower surface of the rubber sheet 10, the first end portions 10a and 10b of the rubber sheet 10
Since the air circulation groove is not provided, both ends of the first switch substrate 11 in the direction orthogonal to the sliding direction S can be prevented from being caught on both end portions 10a and 10b of the rubber sheet 10, and thereby the rubber sheet 10 can be reduced.

[Second Embodiment] Next, referring to FIG.
A second embodiment of the switch structure according to the present invention will be described. In this case, the same parts as those in the first embodiment shown in FIGS. This switch structure has the same structure as that of the first embodiment except that the air circulation groove 40 provided on the lower surface of the rubber sheet 10 is different from the conventional example. That is, the air circulation groove 40 is
As shown in FIG. 5, each of the bulging portions 12 is provided in four directions forming an X shape outward, that is, in a direction intersecting the upper and lower sides along the longitudinal direction of the rubber sheet 10. I have.

In this case, the air circulation grooves 40 located at both ends 10a and 10b in the longitudinal direction of the rubber sheet 10 are provided toward each corner of the rubber sheet 10. Also,
The sides along the longitudinal direction of the rubber sheet 10, that is, the upper side and the lower side are arranged in parallel with the respective sides in the longitudinal direction of the switch board 11.
At the time of assembling, it is slid in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal side thereof and attached to the keyboard chassis 1. That is,
The air flow groove 40 is in the sliding direction S of the switch substrate 11.
Are provided on the rubber sheet 10 in a state of intersecting therewith.

In such a switch structure, the air flow grooves 40 are provided on the lower surface of the rubber sheet 10 in four directions forming an X shape from each bulging portion 12 to the outside.
As in the embodiment, even if the cross-sectional area of the air flow groove 40 in one direction is reduced due to a poor mounting of the rubber sheet 10 or a foreign matter such as a burr of the rubber sheet 10 or the switch substrate 11,
The air can be smoothly circulated through the air flow grooves 40 in the other three directions, thereby preventing generation of abnormal noise such as a whistle, and stably performing the elastic deformation of each bulging portion 12 to stabilize the switch operation. be able to. In this case, unlike the first air circulation groove 31 of the first embodiment, since the air circulation groove 40 is not continuous via each bulge 12, each bulge 1
The two four-way air flow grooves 40 can be made independent for each of the bulging portions 12, so that the switch operation can be more stable than that of the first embodiment.

In this switch structure, as shown in FIG. 9, each dome-shaped bulging portion 12 of the rubber sheet 10 is inserted into each through hole 13 of the keyboard chassis 1 from below. When the left end portion 11a of the switch board 11 is slid along the lower surface of the rubber sheet 10 in a state where the rubber sheet 10 is arranged on the lower surface of the keyboard chassis 1 and inserted into the locking portion 14 of the keyboard chassis 1 to be locked. In addition, since the air circulation groove 40 intersects the longitudinal side of the rubber sheet 10, the air circulation groove 40
, The switch board 11 can be smoothly slid so that the switch board 11 does not get caught in the air flow groove 40. Incorrect mounting can be prevented, and the rubber sheet 10 can be accurately assembled in a stable state.

In the second embodiment, the air flow grooves 40 are provided on the lower surface of the rubber sheet 10 in four directions forming an X shape from each bulging portion 12 to the outside. However, the present invention is not limited to this.
For example, the first modification shown in FIG. 6 or the second modification shown in FIG.
You may provide like a modification. That is, the air circulation groove 41 of the first modified example shown in FIG. 6 has a first air circulation groove 42 orthogonal to one side portion along the longitudinal direction of the rubber sheet 10, and an upper side portion in FIG. The other side portion along the longitudinal direction of the rubber sheet 10, the second air circulation groove 43 intersecting the lower side portion in the figure, the first air circulation groove 42 from the bulging portion 12 of the rubber sheet 10 The second air circulation groove 43 extends substantially vertically toward the upper side, and the second air circulation groove 43 extends inclining from each bulging portion 12 toward the lower side of the rubber sheet 10, whereby the first and second air circulation grooves 42, 43 is each bulging part 1
The structure is provided in three directions, which form an inverted Y shape in FIG.

The air flow groove 45 of the second modified example shown in FIG. 7 is a first air flow groove orthogonal to one side along the longitudinal direction of the rubber sheet 10, that is, the lower side in FIG. 4
6 and a second air flow groove 47 that intersects the other side of the rubber sheet 10 along the longitudinal direction, in this figure, an upper side, and the first air flow groove 46 The second air flow groove 47 extends substantially vertically toward the lower side of the sheet 10, and the second air flow groove 47 extends obliquely from each bulging portion 12 toward the upper side of the rubber sheet 10, thereby providing the first and second air flow. Grooves 46 and 47 are provided in three directions forming a Y-shape in FIG. Also in the first and second modified examples, since the air circulation grooves 41 and 45 are not orthogonal to the sliding direction S of the switch substrate 11, when the switch substrate 11 is slid along the lower surface of the rubber sheet 10, The switch board 11 can be prevented from being caught in the air flow grooves 41 and 45 of the rubber sheet 10, whereby the second
It has the same function and effect as the embodiment.

In the second embodiment and its modifications, the air flow grooves 40, 41, and 45 are provided so as to reach the respective corners on both sides in the longitudinal direction of the rubber sheet 10. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the distal end portion 48 a of the air circulation groove 48 located near each corner of the rubber sheet 10 may be divided into upper and lower sides along the longitudinal direction of the rubber sheet 10. May be formed so as to be bent so as to be orthogonal to, so as not to reach each corner of the rubber sheet 10. With this configuration, when the switch board 11 is slid along the lower surface of the rubber sheet 10,
The switch board 11 can be prevented from being caught on the front end portion 48a of the air flow groove 48 of the rubber sheet 10.

In the first and second embodiments and the modifications thereof, the case where the rubber sheet 10 is provided with the bulging portions 12 in a row has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Can also be applied when a plurality of rows are provided.
In the first and second embodiments and the modifications thereof, the switch structure of the electronic keyboard instrument has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the rubber sheet 10 having a dome-shaped bulge that is elastically deformed is provided. The present invention can be widely applied to an electronic device using a switch structure having the sheet member.

[0026]

As described above, according to the present invention, there is provided a sheet member having an elastically deformable dome-shaped bulging portion, and a switch substrate on which the lower surface of the sheet member is closely arranged. In the switch structure, the air flow grooves are provided on the lower surface of the sheet member in at least three directions from the bulging portion to the outside. Even if the cross-sectional area of the air flow groove in one direction becomes narrow, air can be circulated through the air flow groove in the other direction, thereby preventing the generation of abnormal noise such as a whistle and expanding. The switch operation can be stabilized by smoothly elastically deforming the portion.

In this case, when the switch board is mounted, air circulation grooves are formed at positions other than both end portions of the sheet member located in a direction orthogonal to the direction in which the switch board slides along the lower surface of the rubber sheet. Thereby, when the switch board is slid along the lower surface of the sheet member and assembled, it is possible to prevent both ends in the direction orthogonal to the sliding direction of the switch board from catching on both ends of the sheet member. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the displacement of the sheet member and reduce the mounting failure of the sheet member.
In addition, when the switch board is mounted, the switch board is slid along the lower surface of the sheet member because the air circulation groove is formed in a direction crossing the direction in which the switch board slides along the lower surface of the rubber sheet. When assembling the switch member, the switch board can be prevented from being caught in the air flow groove, whereby the sheet member can be assembled in a stable state without displacement of the sheet member.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a rubber sheet according to a first embodiment of a switch structure of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the rubber sheet of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the rubber sheet of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view showing a modified example of the rubber sheet of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of a rubber sheet according to a second embodiment of the switch structure of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a bottom view showing a first modification of the rubber sheet of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a bottom view showing a second modification of the rubber sheet of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged bottom view of a main part showing a modification of the tip of the air flow groove in FIGS. 5 to 7;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the electronic keyboard instrument.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged sectional view of the switch member of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged bottom view of a main part of a rubber sheet in a conventional switch structure.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 3 switch member 10 rubber sheet 11 switch board 12 bulging part 16 movable contact 17 fixed contact 30, 40, 41, 45 air circulation groove 31, 42, 46 first air circulation groove 32, 43, 47 second air circulation groove

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A switch structure comprising: a sheet member having an elastically deformable dome-shaped bulging portion; and a switch board on which the lower surface of the sheet member is closely arranged. A switch structure, wherein air flow grooves through which air flows according to elastic deformation of the bulging portion are provided in at least three directions outward from the bulging portion. 2. The air flow groove is formed at a position other than both end portions of the sheet member, which is located in a direction orthogonal to a direction in which the switch board slides along the lower surface of the sheet member when the switch board is mounted. The switch structure according to claim 1, wherein the switch structure is formed. 3. The air flow channel according to claim 1, wherein the air flow groove is formed in a direction crossing a direction in which the switch board slides along the lower surface of the sheet member when the switch board is mounted. 2. The switch structure according to 1.